The present invention relates to devices for improving skills in the game of golf, and more particularly to a device for developing an improved swing which may be learned in a manner which is repeatable and consistent, by constraining body motion in such a way so as to force the golfer to repeatedly swing a golf club in the correct manner for maximum results.
In the prior art, a great many devices have been developed for aiding and improving skills in the game of golf. In particular, it has long been recognized that one of the most limiting factors in developing a consistent skill level in golf has been the apparent inability of most people to control body movements during the golf swing. This inability has been expressed as an inability to "keep the head down", but this is now recognized as merely a statement of a symptom of a problem rather than a statement of the problem itself. The real problem in developing a proper golf swing lies in solving the problem of motion of the shoulders and arms during the course of the swing. Ideally, the shoulders must traverse a predictable and consistent arc during the swing, without deviation in any direction which causes the head of the golf club to vary its path and to thereby strike the ball at an unpredictable angle. Shoulder movement is to a large extent dictated by head position, and any unusual or sidewise movement of the head during a golf swing causes a perceptible change in position of the shoulders, which in turn causes a change in the orientation of the golf club as it approaches a ball. A very minor movement of the shoulders causes the golf club face to turn in or out, resulting in a hook or slice, depending upon the nature of the motion. Therefore, it is extremely desirable to control shoulder motion during practice swings, so as to enable the golfer to develop the habit of consistent motion.
Many prior art devices have sought to improve these golfing skills by alerting the golfer to conditions which exist when inconsistent body motions are present. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,014 discloses an apparatus for fitting over a golfer's head, and which slips off a golfer's head in the event head movement occurs during the swinging of the golf club. U.S. Pat. No. 1,962,256 discloses a device for forcing the golfer to undertake a proper swing. In addition, the patent requires a complex shoulder harness for aiding in the development of a golf swing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,280, issued Nov. 6, 1973, discloses a headband attached to an electromagnetic device which becomes disconnected from its magnetic attachment whenever the golfer moves his head beyond a certain point. This serves as a reminder to the golfer that he has had excessive head movement.
There is a need for an apparatus for teaching the proper swing for addressing the ball in the game of golf, and a real need exists for a device of the type described wherein the body is constrained to follow a prescribed motion, and wherein the preferred motion may be practiced a great many times while under such constraint to thereby develop the proper swing as a matter of habit.
Accordingly, the present invention secures about the golfer's head and permits the golfer to pivot the head and shoulders in a natural movement associated with the correct swing of a golf club, while at the same time constraining the head and shoulders from erratic side motions which disturb the correct golf swing. Erratic lateral and vertical movement of the golfer's shoulders during the swing of the club are the primary cause of unpredictable shots in the game of golf.